Orlando Science Schools Lynx Campus
Issue 9
Weekly Newsletter: October 8th, 2021
Principal's Corner
I am excited to share that we have received an A+ Grade and recognition as the #1 Best Charter High School in Florida according to Niches. Thank you to all our students and staff for continuing to not only set high expectations but continuously meet and exceed them. What a wonderful accomplishment!
I hope you all have a nice weekend and look forward to updating you on our students’ continued success next week.
Dr. Yalcin Akin
Executive Director/Principal
Orlando Science School – Middle/High
Orlando Science High School Recognized Among 2022 Best Schools in America!
Here at OSS we’re thrilled to announce that we have been recognized as a 2022 Best School by Niche! This year, we ranked #1 Best Charter High School in Florida AND achieved an Overall Grade of “A+”.
We've earned this ranking by scoring highly in many factors that aim to capture what it’s really like to attend OSS. While we’ve always known that OSS is a wonderful place to learn and grow, we’re so proud of our students and staff for earning this national distinction.
You can check out OSS’s profile and see the full list of 2021 rankings, methodologies, and data sources over at https://www.niche.com/. Thanks again to our community for working hard every day to make OSS worthy of national attention.
OSS LYNX CAMPUS CURRENT COVID NUMBERS
COVID Policy Update
Parents and Guardians,
I wanted to take a moment to go over the new COVID policy sent from the DOE and the new Surgeon General. Effective immediately upon being notified of a positive case at our school, we will continue to do contact tracing and notifying parents that their student was exposed to COVID. Instead of having 3 options you will only have 2. If your student has no symptoms, they can return to school the next day, monitor them for the next 14 days and report if any symptoms appear. Your next option is to keep them home for up to 7 days in quarantine, while in quarantine they will be required to do live lessons on teams following the same schedule as the students in school. They may return if they have no symptoms.
Positive students will follow the same protocol as before, they will quarantine for 10 days, do live lessons on teams, and can return on their designated date or earlier with a doctors note or clearance from the department of health. We ask that you report any positive results as soon as possible, including those in your household. If your student is exposed to someone at home, we will keep record in case symptoms start with them as well.
We encourage every parent to keep their student home if they are having COVID like symptoms, runny nose, congestion, cough, headaches with nausea, high fever, or sore throat and let the school know right away if this happens.
The OSS face mask policy has not changed. Masks are required and parents may opt out with a signed note or email.
We thank you all for working with us during this time when things are changing and adapting. If you have any questions, please reach out to me by email or phone.
Sincerely,
Jenna Foley
COVID Coordinator – Lynx and High School Campuses
Facilities and Assistant Admin Coordinator
407-299-6595 ext 3207
HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH ESSAY CONTEST
“There are thousands of Hispanic-American community leaders and champions across Florida, and I’m proud that as a state we will honor them this month,” said First Lady Casey DeSantis. “This Hispanic Heritage Month, I encourage every student in our state to take the time to recognize and thank the Hispanic-American leaders in their community and take part in these contests. Governor DeSantis and I are proud to offer this opportunity to recognize outstanding students and educators for their unique efforts and talents.”
First Lady DeSantis invited students to participate in academic and creative contests based on this year’s theme. Students in grades K-3 are invited to participate in an art contest while students in grades 4-12 are invited to participate in an essay contest. Additionally, students, parents, teachers and principals are invited to nominate full-time educators of all student grades for the Hispanic Heritage Month Excellence in Education Award.
About the Student Essay Contest
First Lady Casey DeSantis’ Hispanic Heritage Month Essay Contest is open to all 4-12 grade students in Florida. Each student will submit one essay no longer than 500 words based on this year’s theme. Three winners will be selected: one elementary school student (grades 4-5), one middle school student (grades 6-8) and one high school student (grades 9-12). Each winner will receive a 4-Year Florida College Plan scholarship provided by the Florida Prepaid College Foundation.
About the Excellence in Education Award
First Lady Casey DeSantis’ Hispanic Heritage Month Excellence in Education Award Contest is open to all full-time educators in an elementary, middle, or high school in Florida. Three winners will be selected: one elementary school teacher (grades K-5), one middle school teacher (grades 6-8) and one high school teacher (grades 9-12). Nominations may be submitted by a principal, teacher, parent/guardian or student.
Contest Entries and Nominating Forms and Guidelines
Student contest forms and educator nomination forms must be mailed to Volunteer Florida or submitted online at www.FloridaHispanicHeritage.com.
Volunteer Florida
Hispanic Heritage Month Committee
1545 Raymond Diehl Road, Suite 250
Tallahassee, Florida 32308
All entries must be received by 5 pm (ET) on Monday, October 11, 2021.
Tuesday, October 12th is picture retake day!
If your student missed picture day OR they wish to retake their photo, they will be able to do-so on Tuesday, October 12th.
DISMISSAL PROCEDURES
Science Fair Update
All science fair forms are due! If you have not turned in the forms, you need to do so ASAP. You cannot start your experiment until your science teacher gives you the okay! If you have any questions, please ask your science teacher or see Ms. Cramp in room 151 after school.
OSS NEEDS YOUR HELP!
Hello Orca Families!
First, we would like to say thank you to parents and students for their flexibility and commitment during these unprecedented times. There have been challenges for us all, and we hope you’re in good spirits and health! Right now, we’re doing everything possible to sustain daily operations and provide a safe learning environment for students and staff.
Air Purifiers:
We would like to request donations of air purifiers for Lynx and the High School, which can be purchased and brought directly to the campus locations. Air purifiers are a great addition to our school and will provide additional protection for classrooms and walkways.
Preferred Choice for maintenance purposes:
Medify MA-25 Air Purifier with H13 True HEPA Filter
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B086T3RJV6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_DRHXDE2ACV1GSBC1BCW7
High School Air Purifier:
https://schoolpay.com/pay/for/High-School-Campus-Air-Purifier-/SbmTiSd
Lynx Air Purifier:
https://schoolpay.com/pay/for/Lynx-Campus-Air-Purifier-/SbyDqQvvvv
Picnic Tables:
We also would like to purchase outdoor picnic tables to help distance our students, and we will be accepting monetary donations to go toward the cost. Please make donations through our SchoolPay links:
Lynx:
https://schoolpay.com/pay/for/Lynx-Campus-Outside-Lunch-Tables/SbP029Q
High School:
https://schoolpay.com/pay/for/High-School-Campus-Outside-Lunch-Tables/Sc132LP
We want to extend our gratitude to all of the parents for helping in any way that you can, and any donations are appreciated!
Orlando Science Schools
OCTOBER LUNCH MENU
EOC/FSA PERFECT SCORES for the 2020-2021 school year!
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR SEPTEMBER TEACHER & SUPPORT STAFF OF THE MONTH!
Mr. Bautista
Ms. Lavoy
Congratulations to Atreya M, one of Broadcom Masters Top 30!
Finding the Best Novel, Safe, and Organic Treatment to Attract Small Hive Beetles and Improve Honey Bee Strength (Year 2 Study)
Project Background: Two years ago, while fishing with a friend and the friend’s grandfather, Atreya learned about the plight of the honeybee. Tearfully, the 80-year-old beekeeper told him about the dramatic decline of honeybees and honey production. Committed to helping, Atreya became more dedicated to finding a solution to honeybee death when he learned that bees pollinate 80% of all crops and that their decreasing numbers could affect food production worldwide. He began his research last year at the University of Florida where he studied whether protein supplements could boost bee immunity and improve their health.
Tactics and Results: Atreya focused on the small hive beetle, a predator from Africa first found in Florida 20 years ago. In large numbers, the beetles can cause bees to abandon their hives. He learned that there are two in-hive ways to get rid of the beetles; to trap them or to poison them with a chemical, which requires extreme care to protect the bees and the beekeeper. Atreya preferred the organic trap approach. So, he tested apple cider vinegar (the currently used organic option), mango puree, cantaloupe puree, active dry yeast, peanut oil, dry grape seed and beer, with an empty trap as a control. Each attractant was tested at three hives. Every week for six weeks, he collected trapped beetles and counted them in his kitchen lab. He found that the beer was 33 times more effective than the vinegar. The USDA has granted funding for him to conduct additional research on this approach next year.
Other Interests: Atreya, who holds a second-degree black belt in Taekwondo, also enjoys fencing for “the adrenaline rush that comes with a swift defense or powerful attack.” Interested in the interaction of living things and their ecosystems, he hopes to change the world in “great ways” by pursuing a career in biology.
Orbits Character Corner
OPTIMISM
Optimism is believing that things will turn out well.
"One of the things I learned the hard way was that it doesn't pay to get discouraged. Keeping busy and making optimism a way of life can restore your faith in yourself." - Lucille Ball
A MESSAGE FROM MS. PEREZ
Hello and Welcome Back to Counseling Corner!
This Sunday, October 10th, is World Mental Health Day! In honor of the day, I’d like us to discuss some common myths about Mental Health, so without further ado, here we go:
Myth #1 “I don’t know anyone with a mental health condition.” BUSTED. In the U.S alone, one in five adults, almost 20% of children, and one in four college students will experience a diagnosable mental health disorder in any given year. They are more common than you think they are.
Myth #2 “Mental health disorders aren’t real, they’re all in people’s heads.” BUSTED. Just because they may be invisible to the eye does not mean mental health disorders aren’t real. These disorders are as real as any other health problem and can develop in any number of ways including genetics, abnormal brain chemistry, in response to trauma, abuse, or stress, and even substance use. Additionally, some mental health disorders could potentially cause physical health risks as well. The mind and body work together to keep you going, when one struggles, it’s possible the other will too.
Myth #3 “People with mental illnesses are more violent.” BUSTED. This is a very common belief that’s held, but in all honesty, people with mental illnesses are far more likely to hurt themselves than someone else. They are also more likely to experience violence in other ways, for example, they’re 10x more likely to be victims of crimes.
Myth #4 “There is enough help out there, it’s easy to not be mentally ill.” BUSTED. 66% of Americans believe people who need help can get it easily, but 96 million people have had to wait longer than a week for treatment and 46% know someone who has had to drive for over an hour to receive care. The truth is that over 115 million Americans live in an area where the ratio of mental health professionals to residents is less than 1 per 30,000 people. Receiving help is harder than people may believe, but it’s not impossible in this day and age now that telehealth and the internet are in full swing. There’s hope for those in need/want of treatment.
Myth #5 “Getting help is a sign of weakness.” BUSTED. Stigma is one of the biggest reasons why people don’t get help, because of that alone, seeking help and going to therapy is a sign of bravery and strength. Also, therapy and treatment can be really difficult to go through, you have to get vulnerable and work through some painful issues. Doing something that takes heavy emotional labor for the sake of bettering yourself is strong in more ways than just one.
Here are some organizations that have tons of great resources and information for your review, I use them often to stay up to date on things, so feel free to click around and see what you find!
NAMI – National Alliance on Mental Illness
MHACF – Mental Health Association of Central Florida
And as always, if you need anything, I’m happy to help!
All the best,
Ms. Perez
Ms. Perez's Quote of the Week
IMPORTANT PARENT RESOURCES
In an effort to reduce length and better streamline new content in our weekly newsletter, we have created a separate page for Parent Resources. This page will be available here each week, and can be accessed with one easy click. Access the link below to view:
Parent Skyward/OSS Connect Access
Parent Teacher Conference & Report Card Dates
Bell Schedule
Orange County Public School Calendar
PVO Information
Weekly Tutoring Schedule
Public Library Resources
And much more!
FOLLOW OSS MIDDLE HIGH ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Orlando Science Lynx Lane Campus
Email: info@orlandoscience.org
Website: www.orlandoscience.org
Location: 2427 Lynx Lane, Orlando, FL, USA
Phone: (407)253-7304
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/orlandoscience/
Twitter: @OrlandoSciMH